Apparatus for cooling liquids



Oct. 1, 1935.

E. F. FISHER APPARATUS FOR COOLING LIQUIDS Filed June 11, 1934 5Sheets-Sheet 1 fffwdm H o muy.

, Oct- Q 1935- E. F. FISHER 2,016,086

APPARATUS FOR COOLING LIQUIDS A v Filed June 11, 19:54 5 sheets-Sheet 2E Wies? E' fiks/$612 I?? venoz.' fw; ga.

.Oct.'1 1935. E. F. FISHER 2,016,086

APPARATUS FOR .COOLING LIQUIDS -Filed June l1, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 5Inventar Oct. l, 1935. E. F. FISHER APPARATUS FOR COOLING LIQUIDS FiledJune 11, 1954 5 sheets-sheet 4 v 011 0m. orney.

Oct. 1935, E. F. FISHER 2,016,086

APPARATUS FOR COOLING LIQUIDS Filed June l1, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 5Emmi/:wher

renfor- @mgm larzey;

Patented Oct. l, 1935 UNITED s'rii'riazs V.srrsiwrus ron comme manips'Ernest F. Fisher, St. Louis. Mo. Ammann June 11, 1934, serial No.'130,103

18 Claims.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for evaporating andcooling liquids and more particularly to apparatus for removing heatfrom water that has been used in condensing or cooling systems havingapplication to refrigeration, the cooling of internal combustion enginecylinders and the like, the cooling of liquids and gases, cool-- ingsystems for homes, oillces and public places and other applicationswhere water is used over and over again for transferring heat in processwork.

One of the principal objects of my invention is to provide a coolingsystem employing air in intimate contact with water tobe cooled so as tevaporate a part of the water and in so doi lower the temperature of thewater to near the wet bulb temperature of the atmosphere, it beingobvious that the temperature of the water cannot be reduced below thewet bulb temperature. A

modiiied form of my invention contemplates an.

eflicient means for condensing gas to a liquid;

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved method of andmeans for circulating the cooling air in conjunction with the water andin a counterow manner.

Another object is to -provide a cooling tank comprising a series ofsections" adapted to be grouped in a nested form to facilitate shipment.

Other objects will be apparentl from the speciiication which follows.

As the effectiveness of the apparatus as hereinafter .described isdependent upon its ability to evaporate large amounts of water, theapparatus can be used as a. humidifying machine It can also be used as agas and air washer.

' In the accompanying drawings which show a diagrammatic representation`of a preferred embodiment of my invention and variousmodificationsthereof: j f

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a preferred formA of invention;

Fig. 2 is asectional view on line 2 -2 of Figure 1 in the directionofthe arrows;`

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of a modification;

' Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of anothe 'modcatiom i Fig. 5 is apartialview in side elevation of the device of Figure 4; i Fig. 6 is asectional view taken on line 8 6 of Figure `i;

Fig. 7 is a modification; and

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on line 8-8 of Figure '7.

. This application is a continuation in part of` my appplict'ttion,Serial No. 623,898, filed July 2l, 1932, and allowed July 7, 1933.

Referring to Figures l and 2 of the drawings, I

have shownan assembled cooling tank formed of vertical sectional view ofa further' a plurality of sections. The lowermost section I forms areservoir for collecting the cooled liquid. 'The intermediate section 2provides `.an air-inlet and mixing chamber. A series of upper sectionsor auxiliary mixing chambers 8, 4, 5 andt are, 5g

arranged above section 2 and are formed tocommunicate with each other ina manner to permit air and liquid to flow therethrough axially. Theuppermost chamber 'I functions primarily as an eliminator chamber.

It will be observed that the diaphragms 8, 9, I0, I I and I2 rest on abeading rolled in the walls of sections 2, 3,14; 5 and 6, to form jointsbetween the sections and each joint is sealed against the exit of waterand air by means of a packing of tar or cement I3 to provide a watertight diaphragm between adjacent sections except at a central orifice ineach diaphragm. The liquid to be cooled is pumped into the coolerthrough a conduit I4- which terminates in a spray head l5.` A diaphragmI 8 forms the bottom of f section 2 and has a central passage I1 forcooled liquid. A conical member I8 is positiond centrally of section 2being secured to the diaphragm I6. 'I'he conduit I4 vpreferably passesaxially 5 through this member. Openings I9 'around the lower peripheryof this member permitliquid to now from chamber 2 through passage I1 toreservoir I. An air inlet is arranged tangentially to the wall ofsection 2 in a manner to cause air forced thereto to swirl close to thewall of this section and towards its axis up to the member I8. A spiralvane-2| is arranged on conical member I8 in order to guide the air swirlmore eifectively upwardly. The purpose of the member I8 is to 35 causethe formation of a. Cyclonic swirl inthe air supplied irom the inlet 20.Each diaphragm 8, 9, I8 and Illhas a central opening and the metaladjacent the periphery of each opening is, bent downwardly and formedwith serrations22. The diaphragms 9, I0 and I I have suspended therefroman auxiliary diaphragm or baffle plate 23, 24 and 25, each likewisehaving a central openingland serrations 22. The openings in thesediaphragms increase in diameter upwardly. The section l is provided withan outlet 26 and a series of eliminator plates 2l which function toseparate particles of liquid from the air leaving this outlet, whichliquid is permitted to flow inwardly to remain within the cooling tank.A

air passing upwardly. This liquid spraycollects on the diaphragms andows from each diaphragm onto the diaphragm just below. This liquid ilowis broken up into small streams by means of the serrations 22 to providea more intimate mixing of liquid and air during counteriiow of thesestreams.

The orifice 22 in the lowermost diaphragm l is ilared outwardly so thatthe water falling oif its serrated edges will fall in the path of thehigh velocity air before the air is converged by cone il. In thismanner, the water is not permitted to fall on cone Il at which point theair has a low velocity. The outer zone of the swirl constitutes an areaof high peripheral velocity which velocity decreases as the airconverges for entry to the lower orifice but the linear velocityincreases. The highest velocity of swirl or the peripheral velocity isat the serrated edges where the water leaves the diaphragms in droplets.The air swirl keeps the water on the diaphragms and will not permit thewater to fall down through the center of the orifices. These orifices ofthe diaphragms increase in diameter upwardly so as to increase thevelocity of swirl of air upwardly and to cause the air to expand.

'The modified device of Figure 3 is in all respects similar to that ofFigure 1 except that a plate 29 is suspended by hangers 30 from thediaphragm 8 and, in turn, supports the conical member I8. The plate 29serves the same purpose asthe flared central oriilce in diaphragm l inFigure l. The cone i8 increases the velocity of swirl and converges theair for entrance into the orifice 3|. The water falls through thisorifice nto the plate 29 which is comparatively large in diameter andthe edge of this plate from which the water falls lies in the path ofthe high velocity air which breaks the water up into a line spray. l

In Figure 4, the cooling tower is formed from a reservoir section 32,aswirl or inlet chamber 33 A and a series of mixing chambers 2l, 35 and36.

A cone 31 is suspended inverted from a diaphragm 38 which has a centralorice 39 fringed with serrations Il.' The cone-31 ismade up of vanes Iia cross section of which is shown in Figure 6. The edges of these vanesare Aset at a slight angle withvthe body portions thereof twisted orwarped as shown in Fig. 4, so that they out the air swirl. Otherdiaphragms I2 and 43 formed 'similar to diaphragm 3l serve to vsupportconesA Il and 45 which are similar to cone ll.' A tangential air inlet2l is provided in line with cone 31. Water to be cooled is sprayed infrom a spray head. An air outlet 41 is providedwith liquid eliminatorplates ll. The cones 31, Il, 4l are located in the vortex of the airswirl and serve to guide the water discharging from head' .into thevortex' where it is further brokenkup as it falls through eachsucceedingl orice. v The eliminator plates l4l prevent fine spray from4from up -into spray. -V

'I'he modification of Figures 7 and 8 relates to an apparatusfor moreefliciently condensing gas to a liquid as applied to. refrigerationmachines 'or-to cool the water that is circulated through Diesel andother internal gine jackets. Y

According to the present practice in refrigeration, the water iscooledin a cooling tower and then pumped throughv the condenser.Thispro- 5 cedure involves two distinct steps and the cost of pumping is`sometimes high due to friction head through v the condenser. In thisindirect process, there is a considerable loss in heat transfer.efiiciency.' Y i 10 InFigure"I,acoil`l"inwhichtheglstobe. T condensed iscom. is locatedin tbe path of the cooling airan'd water. This coil isformed as two spaced spirals between which the air and water may pass tocontact all coil surface. /This 15 coil is located within the coolingtower which comprises a series of sections 5I, Il, $2, I3 and 5lconstructed similar to the sections shown in Figure 1, whereby thesections, when not bled, maybe nested. Sections 5i to eachterminate 20atone end in a diaphragm il which is provided with a central orifice 56yfringed with serrations 51. Lower section 5l serves as a reservoir toreceive the spent cooling water. A cone 5l is secured to the bottomwallrof the reservoir and 25 extends axially within the tank well pastthe air inlet 5! which extends tangentiaily into the tank as shown inFigure 8. Cooling water is supplied from conduit Il which terminates ina spray head 6|, and the spent sprayed water may lcollect in 3oreservoir 5I. If desired, the conduit 6l may draw water from reservoir5l and make up water to supply loss due to evaporation may be suppliedfrom a conduit 62 to the reservoir and the water level controlled by afloat valve common to this 35 art.v Gas to be condensed is supplied tocoil I9' by an inlet pipe 63 and this gas, when condensed, will drainthroughl a pipe. to a receiver 65. Eliminator plates Si in air outlet 61serve to re- -move all water particles from the outgoing air. o Inoperation, the air entersthe inlet, and swirls around at high velocityin chamber 5| and threads its path upwardly to outlet il. The cone il'serves to increase the velocity of'swirl of the air keeping the waterfrom spray head Il in 45 contact with the coils Il. The diaphragms 55iit close to the spiral coil and prevent any spray from passing-unlessit contacts the coil and air swirl. This results in maximum evaporationon -the surface of the coil, thus cooling the coil and o 'extracting theheat from the compressed gas which is liquefied and passed out throughconduit il. A blower, not shown. serves to force air into inlet IL Whenthe device of Figure 7 is applied to Diesel u engine cooling, the coilIl forms a closed circuit with the engine jacket and pump, which circuitis iiiled with pure water that will not form scale.

Veryii't'tle evapiationoccurs in this closed circuit as the water doesnot contact the cooling air. .o The water used in the cooling tower asaspray maybeof lesser purity.

It will be noted in the'zvarious modifications shown that a conicalmember is `arranged adjacentanairinletandthisairiscausedtoswirl aroundin the chamber containing the cone and the cone 'acts with the air inletto produce a cyclonic swirlwhich is directed upwardly to pass throughtheoriilces in the diaphragm. The liquid spray flows downwardly througheach orifice and from the edge serrations in a manner to intimately mixwith the cooling air. l,Other features are common to the variousmodifications.

The various modications shown are intended to illustrate preferred formsof my invention, but

it is to be understood that other modifications and variations arecontemplated such as will be embraced within the scope of the followingclaims.

What I claim is: y

1. In a cooling and evaporating apparatus comprising a vertical tank,said tank having a tangential air inlet, a cone disposed axially in saidtank and opposite to said air inlet, a diaphragm disposed above the coneand having a hole in its center, said hole being in line with the apexof said cone, a second diaphragmdisp gsed above said first diaphragm andbeing provided with a hole in its center in line with the hole in thefirst diaphragm, said diaphragms forming compartments Within said tankand effectually preventing water and air from passing said diaphragmssave through the relatively large holes in their centers through whichair is adapted to pass in a cyclonic swirl upwardly from said cone, andmeans to spray liquid into the upper end of said tank.

2. In a cooling apparatus comprising a vertical tank, \a conical memberpositioned centrally of said tank, an air inlet to said tank positionedsubstantially in the plane of said member and tangentially thereto andto the Wall of said tank, means for forcing air into `said inlet andaround said member-whereby said conical member will produce a cyclonicwhirl within the tank, a series of transverse partitions within saidtank secured in a water tight manner along their outer edges to the wallof said tank and spaced at different distances above the conical member,each partition having a relatively large central orifice through whichswirling air may pass upwardly from said conical member the apex of theconical member being directed towards the central orices to direct airthereto.

3. In a cooling apparatus as set forth in claim 2, means for sprayingliquid to be cooled to said tank to mingle with the swirling air.

4. In a cooling apparatus as set forth in claim 2,

the edge of each orifice being provided with ay series of downwardlyprojecting points, and means for spraying liquid to said tank to minglewith the swirling air.

5. In a cooling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the cone ishollow and is provided with openings through its wall for permittingfluid to flow therethrough into the cone, a diaphragm to support saidcone, and a fluid orifice formed in` the cone supporting diaphragm below'said cone.

6. In a cooling apparatus as set forth in claim 2, means for sprayingliquid to be cooled to said tank to mingle with said air, a transversewall for supporting. said cone, a liquid reservoir below the transversewall, said conical member and wall being provided with openings forpassing liquid therethrough to said reservoir.

7. In a cooling apparatus, a vertical tank, a series of transversediaphragms secured in a water tight manner along theirlouter edge to thewall of said tank providing compartments, each diaphragm being providedwith a central orifice, a baille plate secured directly to eachdiaphragm and spaced therefrom and from the wall ofl the tank, eachbaflie plate having a central orifice,

all of said orifices being coaxial and decreasing in diameterdownwardly.

8. In a cooling apparatus as sct forth in claim 7, wherein certain ofsaid orifices along the edges thereof are provided with a series ofdownwardly projecting points.

9. In a cooling and evaporating apparatus, a tank comprising a pluralityofsections adapted to be assembled in concentric axial alignment, thecross sectional area of the sections decreasing relatively in onedirection when in assembled rela- 5 tion, said sections being formedsimilarly whereby to be assembled in a nested relation as a com-l pactunit prior to their assemblage as a tank certain of the sections havinga transverse member, each member having a central opening therethrough,the edge of each opening being bent to form a flange.

10. In an apparatus as setforth in claim 9, the opposed adjacent ends ofeach pair of sections being vformed to permit telescopic engagement l5thereof during assemblage to form a tank.

11. In an apparatus as set forth inclaim 9, the opposed adjacent ends ofeach pair of sections being formed to permit telescopic engagementthereof during assemblage to form a tank, and means on one adjacentsection for limiting the amount of telescopic overlap wln'le inassembled relation.

12. In an` apparatus as set forth in claim,9, certain of said sectionsbeing provided withA a transverse member at one end, each saidmember'having a central opening, said openings being aligned axiallywhen the sections are assembled.

13. In -an apparatus as set forth in claim 9, one of said sections beingprovided with a tangentially arranged air inlet, and a conical memberpositioned centrally of said member to be impacted with air from saidinlet to form a cyclonic swirl and direct same along the axis of saidsection.

14. A cooling apparatus comprising a tank, a coil for receiving materialto be cooled arranged spirally axially of said tank, an inlet forforcing cooling air into said tank adjacent an end thereof, a conicalmember positioned within said' coil,

said inlet being arranged tangentially to said 40" member whereby themember causes cooling air to flow axially up the coil, and means tospray a liquid into said tank to contact said coil and pass therealongin counterflow to said cooling air.

15. In a cooling apparatus comprising -a main chamber, a series oftransverse members positioned to divide said main chamber into aplurality of chamber sections, said members each being formed to providean opening centrally therein, a plurality of spaced elongated memberseach secured at one end in spaced relation to each transverse memberadjacent the edge of the opening therein, said elongated members' beingextended downwardly and inwardly substantially to form a conical shape.

16. Ina cooling apparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein the edge ofeach transverse member that defines the opening is formed to provide aplurality of laterally offset serrations.

17. In a cooling apparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein eachelongated member is formed to provide a Warped surface.

18. In a cooling apparatus as set forth in claim 15, an inlet conduitopening into the chamber adjacent the bottom thereof and arrangedtangentially thereto and in the plane of the lowermost group ofelongated members whereby fluid admitted through the inlet is caused toimpact said members during its passage upwardly through the openings.

ERNEST F. FISHER.

